When a horse stumps the Snaith yard, then you know he is an enigma. That honour falls to the Silvano gelding Strathdon.
The 6yo is a former winner of the Listed Woolavington Stakes. But he has not won a race in close on two years – despite being fancied to go in on countless occasions.
He runs in the Listed Woolavington on a nice Kenilworth card on Saturday.
Enigmatic Strathdon wins the Woolavington in 2017 (Chase Liebenberg Photography)
A name that many punters don’t enjoy hearing anymore, Strathdon won the Woolavington when it was run at Durbanville in 2017. He carried 54kgs and was ridden by Richard Fourie. After seven straight tries, the top jock jumps ship to stablemate Elusive Silva on Saturday and Anton Marcus takes the controls on the Foster family’s galloper.
The Woolavington is weighted on merit rating bands and despite the fact that Moody’s and Standard & Poor would probably have slapped him with a downgrade by now, Strathdon tops the SP ratings.
The son of Silvano certainly has the class on his day but may just need it after a break of 15 weeks post his Gold Cup effort where he ran downfield after the race was earmarked as his season target. That’s not an ideal prep, but the Snaith yard have been in good form and he could prove us all stupid again.
The 2018 Greyville 1900 winner Elusive Silva won a cracker over a distance short of his best at his penultimate start when flashing up from the clouds over the Kenilworth 1400m to beat stablemate Platinum Prince. He failed to kick in the Settlers Trophy at Durbanville last time, but has to be much better than that.
Gimme One Night – solid stayer who turns it on late (Pic – Chase Liebenberg)
Brett Crawford’s solid stayer Gimme One Night has the advantage of a prep run under the belt after also failing to impress in the Gold Cup last season. Back on home turf, the son of Gimmethegreenlight would only need to reproduce the acceleration shown in the Gold Vase and the Consolation July to have a shout here.
Topweighted 2019 Cup Trial winner Kampala Campari tries the trip for the first time and could just need the outing after a 15 week break when well beaten by the top-class Rainbow Bridge in the Gr1 Champions Cup.
Kampala Campari wins the 2019 Cup Trial (Pic Gold Circle)
Aldo Domeyer has his second feature ride since returning from Hong Kong when he partners the consistent Man About Town. The Gitano Hernando entire looks held by Elusive Silva and made a respiratory noise at his season opener last month.
Herodotus was prominent for a long way and stayed on without looking like beating Belgarion in the Settlers at his last start. The Trippi gelding failed to fire the last time he went the 2400m – in the Winter Derby – but may well be worth another chance. And the Kotzen-Winaar combo have been in red hot form.
Pacific Chestnut made a respiratory noise last time when making no show in the Settlers. The Horse Chestnut gelding is comfortable over even further than this and cannot be fancied on current standing.
Of the rest, Heaven’s Embrace has been scratched, while Winter Derby winner Dharma stays well and with two runs in the bag should start upping his fitness levels – and that over a trip he has proven very effective.
The Saith coupling look to dominate, but Gimme One Night could give them both a fright. A tricky race and include Herodotus and Dharma in the bigger permutations.
Ed -The Kenilworth false rail is set at 2m out from the 1700m, with a 4m spur at the 470m.
